Nuova Vita
by alexandriaZ
Summary: Erin's life hangs in the balance when she's caught in the clutches of The Replicator. She's given a chance at a new life and family with Rossi. Little do they know evil lurks in the shadows, hell-bent to destroy her.
1. Prologue

**Criminal Minds is owned by CBS incorporated and their affiliates.**

_**When we recognize that we don't have all the time in the world, we see our priorities most clearly.  
-Suman Rai**_

Erin rolled out of bed, running her hand through her hair. David must have forgotten his key. She reached blindly for the handle and yanked the door wide. Her stomach dropped, her late-night visitor was not David Rossi.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" The stranger gloatingly asked. "I brought drinks." He held up the brown paper bag.

She stared blankly at the man in the hallway and tried to reach into her memory for a name. His toad-like face wasn't one she recognized. Swiping a hand against her tired eyes she swallowed the knot in her throat, there was something off about him. Maybe it was the way he reminded her of a man in the back alley behind a seedy bar waiting to take advantage of vulnerable young women.

"I think you have the wrong room." She attempted to close the door, but he shoved his foot inside at the last second.

"You've aged well, Erin: I can't say the same for myself, though" he croaked. The smile he gave didn't reach his eyes.

"I don't know you." She tried to ignore the speeding of her heart, fight or flight was taking over. She thought back to her FBI training and tried to find an escape route. Quickly she scanned the passageway for any sign of life, but the hallway was completely deserted; the Yankees were playing the Mets the big game drew most of the guests on the hall to the third floor. No one would hear her scream.

She kicked at the stranger's leg and swung the door but never heard the click of automatic locks. Brutally he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her backwards. The backs of her legs collided with the chair as she fell to the ground. For a second everything went dark. Coming to, she heard the mini-bar being ransacked before the door was slammed closed. "There's nothing in here!"

"I got it."

There were two intruders.

Plastic tops were popped.

She was picked up and shoved into a chair, her wrists and ankles bound. She was still trying to get her bearings, but knew the weight of a low-ball when it was shoved roughly in her hands. She tried to control the ripple of fear that passed down her spine: liquor was not supposed to fizzle.

"Drink up, bitch."

It was finally sinking in, she was being victimized in her hotel room, the plastic ties biting into her wrists and ankles were proof enough. They weren't talking about money or jewelry; they were there exclusively for her. They were here to kill her.

"No." She vowed to be defiant until the bitter end. Come what may.

Hot, rancid breath filled her nostrils and beat against her neck, in wheezy gusts. It was taking everything she had not to vomit. She needed to at least maintain some dignity.

"They will find you," she hissed, the barrel of the gun pushed roughly against her head. The click of the hammer drawing back echoed in her ear. "It doesn't matter what you do to me here. They will find you."

"You always were a talkative bitch spinning lies, twisting stories- anything to get what you want. Now shut up and drink."

Erin held the glass to her lips, silently weighing her options: her gun was inaccessible, hidden in the drawer of the nightstand; the phone was on the other side of the room.

"She should be passed out, by now!" The voice came from behind her. Erin tried to turn around and see who it was, but she didn't dare. But she imprinted that voice into her memory – just in case.

"You're not drinking," her captor spat impatiently as though he was on a time-table. She had to buy time – something – anything – to buy a few minutes so David could arrive and save the day. She counted her heartbeats and tried to draw the moment out.

"It's my first drink in over a year, I thought I'd enjoy it," she deadpanned managing to keep the shake from her voice. With everything she had, she fought to gain control over the hammering against her ribs. The situation was slowly slipping from her grasp, but she wasn't going to give in easily. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears. Where was the team? Where was David?

"You really think they will come for you? Why would they, your team. Why would they come to your rescue?"

"I know they will," the words fell off her lips with conviction. They would come for her, David would come for her. "Even if they don't make it in time, they will avenge me. They are good at what they do-"

"I wish you would let me just shoot her-" the second voice in the room interrupted impatiently.

"No!" Her captor shouted angrily. "Enough of the games!" He snatched the glass from Erin 's hand. Hatred and revenge burned in his blue eyes. Dear God, Erin thought helplessly, those are going to be the last things I see.

Rough, calloused hands grabbed her shoulders while another pair forced her lips open. The strong stench of alcohol assaulted her sense of smell as liquid flames raced down her throat. Coughing and sputtering, Erin fought to maintain her year's sobriety – there was no way she was going down without a fight.

But the fight was quickly leaving her as fire coursed through her veins and she was yanked to her feet. The blindfold was removed and her vision swam. Someone gripped her arms and led her outside the room. She could hear voices and noises, but she couldn't identify them. She tried to call for help, but her voice was gone. Her vision was blurring and her balance was off.

She vaguely remembered being shoved into the elevator and the voices that argued over which floor to deposit her on. She didn't know where she was being taken, but she refused to die alone in some alleyway. Maybe that is what propelled Erin to stumble through the lobby of the prestigious hotel out on to the busy sidewalk of the Big Apple. She didn't know where she was, neither did she feel the pushing and shoving of the crowd that pushed by her.

She was on a mission – probably the last one of her life: She had to find Aaron and tell him The Replicator was here in New York. And he wasn't working alone.


	2. Chapter 1

"_**Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."**_

_**-Lao Tuz**_

Dave raced down the street with Morgan hot on his heels. He could see the park bench from ten feet away.  
When did ten feet become so far? His heart caught in his throat when Erin fell into Hotch's arms as he gently lowered her limp form to the ground, being careful of her head.

"What happened?" Dave demanded breathlessly, skidding to a halt.

"I don't know," Hotch replied. "She was stumbling around and collapsed in my arms. I think she's been drugged."

Helpless, Dave sat next to Erin and wrapped his arm around her holding her close; fire seemed to pulse from her skin. "She's burning up, Hotch; give me something to cool her down," he barked the order to his friends.

Hotch shook his head, "Dave, it won't do any good, you have to prepare yourself-"

"Don't tell me that, Hotch," he growled. "Fan her. We have to do something to cool her down. Where is the ambulance?" He looked around. A small crowd was gathering to watch the scene. "Don't just stand there! HELP!"

"It's coming; I can hear it," Morgan announced. The sound of sirens filled the air as if to confirm his statement. Taking off his jacket, he began to fan her. From the red color of her skin, he wasn't sure if they were doing any good, but he couldn't just let her die on the sidewalk in crowd of strangers.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," Dave pleaded under his breath. He pressed two fingers to Erin 's carotid and waited. It was faint, but there was a pulse. Gripping her hot hand in his, he squeezed. "Don't you leave me, Erin! That's an order! You don't die until I tell you to!"

The look in Hotch's eyes let him know that all hope was slowly slipping away. They were going to lose her. And there was nothing any of them could do. But he had to try. A part of him knew that Hotch was right; she was so weak she couldn't even hold up her head. But he wasn't about to give up on her; not ever!

"Erin, look at me!" Dave said, slapping her cheek, "Look at me, Erin! Fight, damn it! Fight and let me win! For once, let me win!"

"David," she gasped, her whole body rattled with the effort it took to say his name. She had made it to him. She was going to die, but at least she had a chance to burn his beautiful brown eyes into her memory one last time.

"That's it, Erin I'm right here," he said running his thumb down her cheek, "stay with me, Erin; stay with me," he was begging, pleading with whatever deity that might be listening that she would make it out alive.

"I'm-sorry-" A single tear coursed down her cheek.

"No apologizes, Erin," he softly chastised. "Don't be sorry. Be alive, just stay alive. Just stay with me, that's all I ask." There were tears in his voice, but he wasn't going to cry. Tears wouldn't do anyone any good. Right now Erin needed all the strength they could give her.

He barely heard the ambulance pull up beside the curb and the clipped way Hotch quickly briefed the paramedics with Erin 's condition. His focus stayed on her. Even when the stretcher was placed beside them, Dave's eyes never moved.

"Sir?" A voice interrupted Dave's prayers. "Sir? You have to let her go."

"I'm going with her!" His tone was flat and left no room for argument.

"Dave-" Hotch began, but stopped as he caught the look in his best friend's eyes. He had seen that look only twice before, and neither time had ended well for the opponent.

"I'm going, Aaron. Don't try to stop me," Dave stated evenly, though his temper was threatening to break loose.

Hotch surrendered. "Okay."

"Sir?" The paramedic moved toward Erin.

"Be careful with her." Dave slowly loosened his grip. It was taking everything he had to let her go, but she was in good hands – at least he told himself that she was. He watched in slow motion as Erin was placed on the stretcher and buckled in before being loaded into the vehicle.

"We have to go," the lead EMT shouted to the driver while inserting the IV. Another EMT placed the blood pressure cuff around Erin 's arm and wrote down the results.

"We'll meet you at the hospital," Hotch said. "Go!"

Dave didn't think twice as he jumped inside. The doors closed with a slam behind him. Seconds later they were racing down the street, sirens blaring.

Taking Erin 's free hand in his, Dave looked down at her unresponsive form and tried to will his fight into her body. The ominous beeping of the heart monitor sent chills down his spine. What was taking the driver so long?

"Come on, Erin! I'll make you a deal: If you wake up, I promise to get the son of a bitch who did this, and I will make them pay!"

The ambulance came to a halt and the doors swung open: the paramedics unloaded the gurney and Dave kept his hand intertwined with Erin 's. The moment they entered the lobby of the ER, doctors swarmed around the gurney even as it careened down the hall, stopping at the double doors. Numbers regarding her temperature and blood pressure were called out.

Strong hands gripped Dave's shoulders. "Sir, you can't go back there-" Dave stared at the man dressed in surgical scrubs. "Let her go, we'll do everything we can."

"I can't lose her," Dave whispered hoarsely. His watery eyes caught one last glance of the woman he loved before the doors swung shut.

Unable to respond with something more than an empty promise, the doctor nodded knowingly, then turned on his heel to join his team.


	3. Chapter 2

_**True love burns the brightest, but the brightest flames leave the deepest scars.**_

_**-Unknown**_

Dave's eyes burned from the bright lights of the hospital waiting room. Every minute that passed seemed like a day. He'd held her hand and watched as the EMT s skewered her with IVs, and screamed about ice baths.

Now – sitting in the waiting room on a hard plastic chair, the sound of the TV droned in the distance – there was nothing he could do but sit there and try to pray; that part should have come easy – he prayed every day- but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus. 

Father. God, please…

What's taking so long? Shouldn't we know something by now?

Father. God, help Erin.

What if Hotch was right?

Our Father, who art in Heaven…

What if it was all for nothing? No! He couldn't think like that! Lurching up from the unforgiving seat, he let his feet carry him across the room. He watched his team settle in various chairs throughout the room. His team was there, behind him. Watching him, but he couldn't focus on them now.

Every time he saw a nurse or doctor come around the corner and pass the waiting room, another piece of his composure slipped away. The hands on the clock slowed with every passing minute. Sixty seconds were like sixty years; he didn't notice he and Hotch were alone until Hotch spoke.

"I sent the others to get food." He knew Dave was coming unraveled, his eyes were blood-shot, and his hands shook.

"Please, Hotch, don't ask if I'm alright," Dave said, collapsing in the chair, exhaustion set deep in his bones but he wouldn't be resting anytime soon.

"Dave-"

"I can't do this, Aaron," Dave's voice went husky with emotion, "Wasn't once enough?"

Hotch could see where his friend's mind was heading. It was only two years ago that Carolyn decided to end her suffering with an overdose and dying in Dave's arms, and now chances were that he was losing Erin to the same fate. Silence settled over them. It would no good to push Dave into talking.

"Erin is the Anti-Carolyn, Carolyn was sweet, almost naive but in the end; she was selfish she killed herself and made me watch because she didn't want to suffer." Dave ran his hand down his face. "Erin's children don't deserve to lose their mother because she chose to do her job. She was supposed to be the safest of all of us," he bit out. "What the hell happened?"

The sound of footsteps kept Hotch from replying. A second later, a doctor entered the room. "Erin Strauss?" He addressed the pair. "I'm sorry it's taken so long to talk to you. I'm Doctor Garrett, and I'll be overseeing Erin 's care."

Dave hastily wiped his face. "How is she?" His trained profiler eye searched for anything that might reveal Erin 's fate, but doctors and cops wore professional poker faces. Or maybe he was just too tired. 

The older man slipped the surgical cap off his head and perched on the table in front of Dave. "It's complicated…"

"Please, Doc, give it to me straight," Dave stated matter of fact. "She's my- we're partners. Is she going to be okay?"

The doctor nodded in understanding, "Her condition is still very critical, but we have managed to stabilize her. Unfortunately, there was no way to treat the overdose because we don't know what toxin she ingested. Hopefully, the lab will send back results from her CBC, and we can begin treatment." He paused for questions, but Hotch and Dave remained silent.

"Her heart rate accelerated and we were struggling to put it back on track," he continued the spiel. "Her internal temperature skyrocketed dangerously high. She had one seizure before we could get her cooled down. So far, the IV seems to be doing its job." Doctor Garrett paused and took a deep breath. "I wish I didn't have to deliver this bad news, but Erin's lapsed into a coma. The next 48 hours will tell-"

Dave felt his stomach hit the floor, "No! That's not her, she wouldn't just give out like that!"

"She was unconscious when she got here," Doctor Garrett replied. "We thought after her temperature was stabilized, she would come out of it since her EKG indicates her brain is functioning properly. But with the severity of the overdose, I suspect this is her mind's way of preserving itself until her body can fully heal."

Dave took a deep shaky breath, but his inner profiler instinct went into overdrive. He could sense that the doctor was holding something back. "What aren't you telling me? What else is there that we need to know?"

Doctor Garret reached into the pocket of his lab coat. "Congratulations."

Dave took the photo with a shaky hand, his mind unwilling to process it. There was no way Erin was pregnant; he would've known, she would've told him. But there it was in black and white. His stomach  
lurched with a sickening realization how he'd almost lost them. Not just Erin, but their child too, because some sick bastard wanted his fifteen minutes of fame.

In a fit of rage Dave lunged at the wall his fist collided with the concrete, the clock rattled on the opposite wall. As the fight fell out of him, he didn't have the strength to stand. He sat down hard on the chair he had only minutes earlier cursed as hell on earth, and tried to get his jumbled thoughts in order. He could hear Hotch talking to the doctor, but his mind was too numb to comprehend what they were saying. He closed his eyes, Erin needed him to get it together; he couldn't go on like this.

"I need to see her."


	4. Chapter 3

"**He** **that knows** **no** **guilt** **can** **know** **no** **fear**"

_**Phillip Massinger **_

Dave felt Doctor Garrett surveying him,"She won't know any difference, you all need to go home."

Dave shook his head, "How long until we know something?" Desperation found its way into his voice if he heard it, there was no doubt the doctor could.

"We will let you know if there are any changes, the next 48 hours should tell us a lot."

The sound of footsteps drew Dave's attention, the team was back but they were all so quiet, it wasn't the normal kind of quite you would hear in a hospital. For Dave, it was a quiet that spoke of complete and total despair and he couldn't look at them.

He walked into the restroom and splashed cold water on his face, his hand throbbed from its impact with the wall. He looked down at the swelling knuckle of his third finger. It wasn't anything an ice pack couldn't fix.

Drying his face with paper towels, he went back into the hall with his strength returning. Erin needed him, and he would be there; he wasn't giving up on her.  
Rounding the corner, he stared at his team. They were rooted in place, staring at Hotch as he spoke on the phone.

He caught Hotch's eye, as he hung up. "The UNSUB is dead, the locals just confirmed it. There was an explosion and he trapped himself inside the house."

"You guys deal with bombs and explosions," Penelope said, "why weren't you called in?"

"Because, we're here in New York. Curtis made it all the way back to Virginia," Hotch answered. Even he was trying to keep his composure.

Dave muttered a few creative curses under his breath and let his feet carry him down the hall. There was no way a stranger would have gotten past Erin Strauss; he'd missed something with the Replicator. He was supposed to protect her, it was the oath they all took, to protect and serve. But who was he protecting tonight? Certainly not the one he loved.

Morgan turned to Hotch, "Is he okay? I've never seen him like this."

Hotch shook his head, "No. He's not. He's known Erin half his life."

The break room was silent, his footsteps echoed against the linoleum floors.

Vending machines lined the wall. He pulled a Styrofoam cup from the stack and held it under the coffee machine as he fished in his pocket for a quarter and stuck it in the machine At the same time he pressed the button, expecting a stream of hot coffee but the coin hit the change return. He put the coin back in the slot and pushed the button he was greeted by a pathetic steamy wheeze.

"Dammit!" Pain tore through his hand as his damaged knuckle took another hit against the offending machinery.

"That's one hell of a caffeine need to beat up a vending machine," Alex said.

"I really need the jolt now."

"Try this," she said, handing him a quarter.

Dave shook his head, "Damn thing's broken. I'm done, I give up."

"David Rossi, defeated by a vending machine?" She joked. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

She stuck some money in another machine and two bottles of water emerged: she grabbed a cup and filled it with water and stuck it in the microwave. "Let's hope the microwave works," she said, tapping the buttons, and the machine whirred to life.

She took two packs of instant Folgers from her purse and poured one in the cup, passing it to Dave.

"You keep coffee in your purse?" He asked, half in awe.

"You bet," she said, mixing another cup and sitting down. "If I smoked, I'd have a lighter."

"You're a resourceful one," Dave said, taking a sip.

"Some might say that. Others would say I'm a good listener-"

Dave let her words hang in the air and released a breath, "This feels wrong, something feels wrong here. Sure, Erin 's done some shady things, but she doesn't deserve this," he said, shaking his head.

"I never thought John was capable of this, he hardly spoke if we didn't speak to him."

**Author's note: I'm absolutely blown away by the response to this story! Ya'll are awesome!**

**-Z **


	5. Chapter 4

_**Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest**_

_**-Ashleigh Brilliant **_

"How well did you know him?" Dave asked, from over his makeshift mug.

Alex shrugged, "We worked on the Amerithrax case but after that, he transferred to Kansas."

"That whole case went to Hell in a hand-basket, a lot of people lost faith in us after that," Dave said, draining the last of his coffee.

"Well, we're making up for that now," Alex tossed her cup in the trash and stood up. "Let's get out of here."

"I'm right behind you, I need to call Erin's kids-"

"Dave, it's two in the morning. Do you really want to wake them with this?"

"It is?" He ran a hand over his hair and the back of his neck, "Right, it can wait."

Hotch looked around at his team of exhausted agents, Reid paced the room to stay awake. J.J. kept rubbing her eyes and Penelope dozed in her seat, startling herself awake every few minutes. Only, Derek, Dave and Alex seemed fully awake. Hotch pulled out his phone, the hotel they were staying in was now a crime scene. He knew he would have to force Dave to check into a hotel but the rest of the team needed someplace to sleep.

He looked up when he heard the _ping_ of the elevator doors. Moments later, Alex walked into the waiting room.

"How's Dave?" Hotch asked, before Derek had the chance.

"He's taking it pretty hard and he's lost all concept of time-"

"That's to be expected, he won't sleep anytime soon but the rest of need to get some rest. We've got rooms on standby a couple of blocks from here. Derek, it might be best if you drive."

"I can drive," Reid perked up, rubbing his eyes.

"I got this, Kid," Derek said, moving to stand next to Penelope, he rubbed her shoulder "Baby Girl, wake up."

"What is it?" She mumbled.

"Hotch got us rooms not far from here and I'm driving."

Penelope groaned in the darkness of the hotel room, she couldn't sleep no matter how drained she was she couldn't shut down her brain. Reaching for her purse, she pulled out her phone she needed to check on Rossi. She needed to get the weight off her chest.

"Hotch is with him, you know," J.J. said, from the bed across the room, she flopped on her back staring at the ceiling.

"I know- I just-I can't get them out of mind. I've never seen him so- I've just never seen him like this."

"Hotch is looking out for him, there's nothing we can do now. We should just roll over and try to get some sleep."

Penelope rolled her eyes, "Of course, we have beds underneath us and we can't sleep."

She rolled out of bed, and began to pace the floor, "It's just-she was finally on our side and now-now Rossi's going to lose her. And he doesn't deserve that, not after Carolyn-"

"Garcia-" J.J. Tried to interrupt but Penelope kept talking.

"And what about her kids, Jayje? Did we even know Strauss had kids! How wrong is that? We've worked with her for eight years and know ab so-freaking-lutely nothing about her! Did any of us even think to ask? No we were so caught up in the fact that she's our boss and kind of a pain. Big freakin' deal!"

"Garcia!" J.J. Snapped, standing in front of her, taking her shoulders, "You have to calm down, Penelope." J.J. said, gently, "We're all worried about Rossi but you can't get so worked up. Everything is going to be okay."

"J.J. You don't understand," Penelope dropped her voice she was suddenly aware of Alex sleeping in the adjoining room. J.J. sat down on the bed and Penelope sat beside her.

"Remember when Reid and I went to that Doctor Who convention and we ran into Kevin-"

"Of course-"

"This must be kept strictly between us, Jayje. Reid hasn't told anyone and they obviously don't want anyone to know-" she rambled.

"Okay-" J.J. held up her hands, "Whatever it is, it's just between us."

"See across the street from where the convention was being held, there was a really nice hotel. We're talking, five-star. Reid and I ran into Rossi outside-"

"You ran into Rossi?" J.J. asked in disbelief. 

"He said he had been at some cigar slash whisky function and made a joke about going to bed when it was like 9am. I thought that maybe he had been up all night playing poker or something, but then as soon as his car was out of the parking lot, Strauss walked out and it was like the walk of shame-or something," Penelope said, most of her words coming out in a rush.

"Did she see you?"

No, she got in her car and left and it was never spoke of."

"They were **all **over each other at my wedding."

"I know right, I think he danced with Emily once the entire night-"

"If there is something going on between them, that would explain why Rossi is taking it so hard."

"What can we do? We can't just leave him-"

"Hotch is taking care of him, we just have to be here when he says he needs us," J.J. said, squeezing Penelope's shoulder.

"Hotch probably knows better than anyone what he's feeling now, huh."

J.J. nodded sadly,"He does."

Dave sat with his head in his hands, thoughts of Erin's kids plagued his mind; they didn't deserve this, who was he trying to fool? No one deserved this. He pulled himself to his feet and headed to the elevator; Hotch was going to try to talk him into leaving, that was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd already left her at the mercy of that bastard and he wasn't about to do it again. The elevator doors opened and he stepped into the silent hall. He turned towards the patient wards when Hotch's voice called from behind him.

"I sent the team to get some sleep, I told them you were on your way."

"Go on. I'll get a cab."

Seeing the look of skepticism, he added, "Hug Jack, kiss your girlfriend, "I'll be fine." He let his gaze drift down the hall where Erin resided.

"Dave- there's nothing you can do here, God help me, I've been right where you are but, you can't fix this-"

"Don't profile me, Hotch!" He snapped, taking a step forward, "You have no idea where I am!"

"Get in the car, we're going to the hotel and you're going to sleep."

"I'm not leaving-"

Hotch dropped his voice and fixed Dave with a glare, "That's an order, Agent Rossi, get in the car. If I see you anywhere near this hospital in the next twelve hours, you're fired."

"Fine," Dave huffed.

They entered the elevator when Dave said,"Threatening to fire me was a little dramatic, don't you think?"

Hotch shrugged, "I've learned from the best."

For the first time that night, Dave smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

_**he most important of life's battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul.**_

_**-David McKay**_

Warning: may be emotionally triggering for some readers, this chapter contains the death of a child.

Dave looked down at his feet, he knew where he was by the shine on his shoes, patent leather was reserved for weddings and funerals. "So, who is getting married?"

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass window, casting a glow on the empty altar. A soft voice drew his attention. "You killed my mom."

"Cassie?" Dave turned around to face the seventeen year old. She was staring at her shoes, power shoes Erin called them.

"You were supposed to protect her!" Dave he came face-to-face with Erin's son Paul. He was fifteen and his hands shook in anger.

"We trusted you!" Thirteen year old Allison's voice rang out the loudest, "Go on, see for yourself!"

"What are you talking about?" Dave asked.

A white and silver casket appeared on the altar, and Dave stood in front of it. Hands on his back shoved him closer until he was staring inside it, he slammed his eyes closed. He did not need to see this.

"Open your eyes! See what you've done, look at the damage you've caused! Look at the lives you've ruined!"

"Carolyn?"

Cold hands forced his eyes open, "Look!" She screamed, "You did this! See what you've done!"

He looked down into the silk-lined casket at the lifeless body of his newborn son, his eyes were closed, he was so small. But still so peaceful. "James."

A bundle of blankets appeared next to James, the bundle whimpered and kicked to get out of it's bindings. Dave reached forward, letting his hand linger on the warmth of the baby. "Why is there a baby in the coffin?" He reached in and cradled the child against him, "He's mine, David." Erin said softly.

Dave's empty hands dropped to his side. He looked up, at Erin's ghostly form cradling the baby against her shoulder. "You let me go, why didn't you fight for us?"

"I'm trying!"

Carolyn shook her head, "Not hard enough I'm afraid. You're destined to live alone, how many more lives have to be lost before you figure that out?"

Fear raced through him as Carolyn and Erin advanced on him, with fire in their eyes. "You betrayed us! That's two families you've ruined!"

Dave lurched from the bed the T-shirt clinging to his body was soaked in cold sweat. "No. No, not again," he muttered, dragging one hand across his face. Throwing back the blankets, he rushed to get dressed.

"I thought we agreed, twelve hours." Hotch said, sitting up.

"How long's it been?" Dave asked, pulling on his shoes.

"Four, maybe five."

Dave and stood up, a look of determination on his face, "Fire me later."

The door of the hotel room slammed and Hotch shook his head throwing back the covers of his own bed he prepared to face the day.

With the remains of his nightmare still hovering in the corners of his mind, Dave approached the nurses station. He needed to see her come Hell or high water he was going to fight for Erin he was going to show her that she was worth fighting for. He was directed to a dimly lit room his eyes trained on the woman on the bed. Erin's ash blond hair sprawled out against the pillow was the only color that wasn't hospital issued. Her eyes were closed and her skin had a grayish tint. The methodical rise and fall of her chest unnerved him. And the sounds of the machines around him were enough to drive a man insane. He vowed right then that he never wanted to be put on complete life support. He never wanted anyone else to have to listen to the sounds of machines keeping him alive.

"The doctor will be in later to check on her, talk to her, it helps" the nurse said, as the door closed behind him.

Dave closed his eyes, listening to the steady pulse of the heart monitor. The routine whoosh of the ventilator forcing oxygen through her body; he gripped her cold hand in his and guilty tears flooded his eyes. If he had gone with her back to the hotel, none of this would have happened. He lifted her hand off the bed and held the palm to his lips, tears clogged his voice,

"Wake up, Erin, I need you to wake up. I need to hear you bitch me out, please, yell at me blame me. I don't care I just need to hear your voice. It's my fault, and if you blame me, I understand, but, the kids and that baby - the baby we made, that should be enough to make you fight. Fight for them," Dave begged. "I need to see your eyes when I tell you 'I love you'

_'What's happening?'_ Erin wondered, David's voice floated around her. Her thoughts felt thick and cloudy; she knew the feeling of David's hand on hers. Soft but calloused on the backs of his fingers, from gripping his pen too tight on paperwork days. Why was he holding her hand? Nothing was making any sense; her tongue was heavy, her lips were cracked. She couldn't make her voice work. When she tried to move her hand, nothing happened.

He waited and for a split second he thought he saw her eyes move beneath their lids; his spine tightened in anticipation. "Come on Erin." He shook his head and kissed her hand. "Yup. That sounds about right. I come to you in tears confessing my undying love and get no reaction whatsoever. If it's romance you want, I think that's as romantic as you're gonna get." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back later, think about it."

He left the room and leaned his head against the wall in the hallway, what did he expect? A miraculous fairytale recovery?

_'Think about what?' _She heard the door close behind him, what was she supposed to be thinking about? She sifted through her memories. _'Did he say something? Did he offer a deal? What was_ _it_!' Everything was so heavy, and she was too exhausted to think.

'_Dammit Dave, get back here and catch me up!'_

Dave wandered down the hall towards the gift shop, he needed something to do; the sounds of the machines that kept Erin alive, echoed in his mind. Walking inside the store, he stopped in his tracks rows and rows of porcelain and glass angels stared back at him. He lifted one off its perch and walked towards the counter. When his phone rang from his pocket. "J.J?"

"Rossi, I have no idea how it got out," she panicked. "Reporters are camped outside the hospital."

"What got out? How much do they know?" He was confused by her statement.

"Dave, they know everything. I tried to hold them off until you had time to make notifications. There was a leak and they're determined to get their story."

"Vultures!" He spat. He could hear the crowd of reporters in the background, each one clamoring to get the best spot.

"I know. It's organized chaos out here you should call someone or they'll find out with the rest of the world."

"Do you think you can buy some time?" He was reaching for anything that could resemble a life-line at this point.

"I can try, but you should hurry. I've organized a press conference for this afternoon; news crews are already lined down the street. I don't get it; Hotch said the Director was keeping this contained!" She shouted over the noise.

Dave let out a breath, "Who knows? Where there's a will, there's a way. Thanks, J.J. Don't let them eat you alive."

He ended the call and dialed another number, hoping against hope that his memory served correctly, someone answered on the second ring.

"Vera, it's David; something's happened to Erin."


	7. Chapter 7

**It's tough when you leave one place and you're in limbo and not sure what the future holds. But I wouldn't paint the rock-bottom picture.**

**-Peter Lavoilette**

Dave couldn't bring himself to look at the clock; there was nothing he could but wait. He couldn't postpone the press conference, J.J. had already tried. He knew it was terrible, but he couldn't help thinking this would be so much easier if they were in Virginia.

He ran a hand across his forehead. "This would all be so much easier if it hadn't happened at all," he muttered to no one but himself. He gave Erin's hand a squeeze and stood up. He wanted to scream. The sounds were driving him crazy, even his own voice couldn't drown them out. "I'm talking to a wall, aren't I? God, I really wish You could answer me." It was more of a demand than a plea, but it was still a prayer from the heart seeking comfort and answers. He wasn't sure which one he would take now, but something was better than nothing.

_Be careful what you wish for, Davy, _his mother's warning sounded in his head. He sighed. There was only one thing he would wish for, damn the consequences if it meant Erin would wake up. He needed to see her eyes and see her comforting smile. Hell, he'd take a good bitching out right now – Lord knew he deserved it!

Brushing Erin's hair away from her face, he waited like a man on the brink of starvation waits for the manna. "I know you're in there, I know you can hear me. But, it's probably best that you're sleeping since your mother is on her way here."

Erin tried to recoil against the touch on her face, David's voice broke through the fog her mind had become, why couldn't she move? What happened to her?

'_David, you called my mother?! What the hell kind of torture is this? What's the point, you can't hear me anyway! Don't you realize this is all your fault? This wouldn't have happened if I'd stayed at the police station you insisted that we meet back at the hotel! That is the last time I listen to you.'_

"I love you. I hope you- you should know that by now, I can't figure out why you didn't about the baby."

'_Why are you crying? David? Talk! Tell me what happened!'_ She demanded, nothing was making any sense everything he said left more questions than answers.

"You could have told me, you know."

Didn't he see that there wasn't time to tell with The Replicator running around? He would've hovered over her taking his focus off solving the case and no one needed that. Maybe if she'd told him none of this would've happened.

'_Now is not the time to be playing what-if's and counting regrets,' s_he chastised herself.

"After the year we've had, I'm not surprised, but, I wish I would've found out under different circumstances. I'm not trying to twist the knife, swear please if you can hear me give me a sign."

_'I hear you!'_ Dammit if her thoughts would just make it out of her head, if she could move just enough for him to see, he would know. He would know and he wouldn't leave, this was worse than death._'_ _No-scratch that – this silent, immobile purgatory is_ _a precursor to death. Please, God don't let this kill me!'_

Under normal circumstances Erin Strauss begged for nothing she wore her pride like a badge of honor but not here. Not now, when so much was at stake. Her baby deserved a chance at life with or without her and David deserved to be a father. Her thoughts turned towards her other three children, Cassie her eldest held little to no respect for her father. Erin couldn't imagine banishing her children to her ex's home for another year until Cassie became of age. But what would happen to them then? Cassie couldn't raise Paul and Alison, and Peter would keep custody. The simple answer was they needed their mother.

Dave sat back down and pulled out his cell phone. "I'll be back soon. Vera is here."


End file.
